theme parks with a 2 year old...

[Andrea]

i was thinking about going to disney with my sister in law and her son who is 2....

is 2 to young to go ? do you think it will be ok ?

 

[Noelle]

We took our youngest when she was almost 3. It wasn't the best trip. But I think that's just because we did too much. Once we slowed down, took breaks, and did things more to her pace; the vacation got better. I'm sure you'll be fine if you just watch for signs they might be getting worn out and plan time to relax and slow down.

 

[scjo68]

We took our ds when he was 20 months old (and will go again when he's 2 1/2. And he actually did better than I thought he would. I wouldn't go on a once-in-a-lifetime trip with a toddler, as you will not get to do as much as you normally would. But if you plan with the toddler's needs in mind, it can be fun. Just remember not to push to do too much, because if a 2-year-old isn't happy, no one's happy!

Enjoy!

 

[barbie78]

My DD is 2 and this will be her second trip. At 10 months old it was fun, she enjoyed Pooh and Small World, and liked the characters. But now, it's all we talk about! She tells everyone that she is going to see Mickey and Minnie, that Cinderella lives in a castle and we're having lunch with her, and maybe Sleeping Beauty will be there! Will she remember it? No, but I'll remember how much fun we had and I'll enjoy experiencing DW through the eyes of my precious little girl.

Take it slow, take lots of naps, and have a great time!!!

 

[BlindTyldak]

And use a stroller!!!!!

 

[El&Asmom]

We took dd1 when she was 18months. It was a blast. We took our time, took lots of breaks, and realized that we weren't going to do all of the rides that we wanted, and may not be able to sit for nice long leisurely meals.
She may not remember it, but she loves to look at the pictures and talk about seeing Mickey.
We are going in Sept, and bringing dd1 who is now 3, and dd2 who is 9 months. It may be interesting with an infant, but this vacation is as much about us having fun as it is the kids having fun.
The other great thing about the world vs other vacation destinations is that there are plenty of things to keep little ones occupied, along with plenty of opportunity for R & R at the pool, resorts...
Have fun.

 

[Kramer]

Our son is almost 3. We have taken him on five trips (from NJ) and he has done well on all of them. We are headed back in December for his 6th trip (and he'll be 3 by then and a paying customer) and he is so excited.

I guess it depends on the child, but I definitely think that 2 years old is plenty old enough to make the trip and have lots of fun.

 

[The Sweetness]

When my 14y old was 2, we went and had a great time. Will be taking both kids this time. They'll be 15 and 1/2, and the baby will be turning 27 months

 

[Ariel8676]

2 years old is a great time to go. Bring your own stroller, don't try to do too much. We usually get to the parks early, stay until lunch..go back to the resort and relax (nap, swim, or just sit for a littel while)..then head back out to the parks around dinner time.

 

[mrzrich]

If there is a ride that both you and Dsis would like to ride that has a height restriction, be sure to use babyswap. Ask a CM before you get in line. They usually give you a little ticket that looks like a FP. One waits in line while the other stays with the baby. When she's done, the other one gets to go through the FP line. The nice thing is if you have any older child, they get to ride twice, because the little tickect is good for 3 people. When I don't have an older child with me, I spread Pixie dust and invite a couple waiting in line to join me in the FP line.

Some rides like Splash Mountain and Mission Space have little play areas for the little one where you can wait. For Soarin' we walk to the nearby food court and get a cookie for DS3 while we wait. For Space mountain we wait in the arcade that the ride exits into.

If you go to MK make a ressie at the Crystal Palace. It is a character meal with Pooh and friends. My DS loved it when he was 2!

 

[Carrie772]

I am sorry, but I have to really state the negative of taking a 2 yo. I found out my son was a runner last year at WDW. My husband and I spent most of our trip reaching down and grabbing our son's arm so he wouldn't run away. He despised the stroller and the lines. My advice would be to take your toddler nephew to the mall on Saturday's and see what he does.
Will he come back if you call his name?
Will he run away if he is out of the stroller?
Can he stay put while you look at a window display?

It can be great...Sorry about the gloom and doom. Of course, we're trying it again this year!!!

 

[TinkerbellMama]

Our son will have been twice before his 2nd birthday (3x if you count his brief stint at DTD at 2 mos. old )!!! Of course it will be fine if they work around their child's interests, needs, and personality. Our son is a go-go-getter and shut down the parks with us, no problem, but most children will probably need more down time and a slower pace.

 

[TinkerbellMama]

I am sorry, but I have to really state the negative of taking a 2 yo. I found out my son was a runner last year at WDW.

I feel your pain! Mine is a runner, too! Of course, we know this and our daily lives have adapted so much around his little quirks that it seems somehow "normal" to be constantly chasing him or following his lead.

 

[mrstomrice]

We took our son in April when he was 22 months. It was a great trip...he only had 1 bad morning out of 7, and that was after a perfect drive from PA. I do not recommend EPCOT, as we had to have him out of his stroller much more then I preferred and there isn't much there for kids that age. Definitely get to the park at opening to avoid lines and consider going back to the hotel for a mid day break. If he doesn't know the characters, watch the MM CLubhouse or another movie so he can enjoy them....Thomas loved all of them but the soldiers from Toy Story who were acting sneaky around the kids. He still talks about it to this day. You have to know your child's personality, but I don't think it could have gone any better!

 

[ainmama2001]

We started going to Disney when my dd was 9 months old. Everyone thought we were crazy, but she LOVED it! We went again when she was 2, then 3, then 4. We're planning a trip for the spring.

 

[Ellielovesdisney]

We took DD twice when she was 2 and had such a great time we are going beck for her third birthday. I agree with the other posters. We were never at a park more than 4 hours at a time and spent most of our time with the characters. character meals were great...if your DN isn't the shy type. ( I did see one child who wouldn't come out from under the table at CP). Our DD did have one meltdown on the last day of our trip...We've since kept our trips to 3 days and that seems to work fine.

Have fun!!
Holly

 

[cdrn1]

We have taken DGD at 9 months, 16 mos, and 2.5. Each time has been great. She has a wonderful disposition and just goes with the flow. She has enjoyed everything that we have done. We go at a much slower pace, and we do less than normal, but this is not necessarily a bad thing. This most recent time the sit-down dinners were a little rougher than prior, but she knows the rule is you sit until everyone is done and we never waive that rule so by "rougher" I mean that she kept asking if everyone was done. At 16 months she wanted to run so we used a "leash" and no one commented; it gave her a little freedom and us a little peace of mind. We took it for the 2.5 trip but didn't need to use it.
She loves to look at the photos of our trip and asks to go see Minnie again.
I guess the bottom line is, it's wonderful to take a well-behaved 2 year old. They are old enough to have a good time.

 

[Andrea]

If you go to MK make a ressie at the Crystal Palace. It is a character meal with Pooh and friends. My DS loved it when he was 2!

that was going to be my next question, about one of the character meals.. would you do breakfeast or lunch or dinner or what ? and do i have to pay for it up front when i make a reservation ?

 

[DisneyIsTerrific]

My DS was 20 months the first time we took him to Disney World. He had a wonderful time. We were only there one day and we didn't do many rides, but he enjoyed seeing everything especially chasing birds! I think as long as you slow down and go at the little one's pace, you will all have a great time. My DS is now 13 and he's a Disney veteran having been to the World probably about 40 times!

 

[bigbabyblues]

We took our youngest at 15 months and again at 2, and both trips were fine. There wasn't alot that he couldn't go on, and our 4 yo wouldn't ride those things anyway, so DH rode a couple "big" rides by himself. He loved the characters, the character meals, rode in the stroller with no problem. We did take a break/nap in the afternoon, but we would have anyway (without kids), so it wasn't a big deal.